The Ashen King

The Ashen King rose in the ashes of a world destroyed by war and cataclysm. Ignacius survived where the world faltered, leading his people to survival against all odds.   When the war with the machines ground to a halt, it was Ignacius' banner flying above the alcoves that seemed to be the best hope for humanity.   And the Kingdom rejoiced to have such a glorious leader. He brought out prosperity, even in the face of toxic dust and fallen hopes. As the Kingdom starved, he fended off the wolves and the hunter-killers, sacrificing his men against the machines creeping from the wastes. The result was the Green Zone, and hope for another day of human life on this earth.   But it has been too long. The world has been waiting for heroism, some bold voice to reclaim what was once lost. The dust-lords of the central regions of the Kingdom offer that.   Ignacius, on the other hand, sits on his throne, decaying alive, his life-span beyond the natural but still not eternal. He has become arbitrary and withdrawn, and not all of his agents are trustworthy.   Something will break. Ignacius will burn.   But what will happen to humanity when that happens?